Skip the Drive-Thru and Make Taco Bell's Crunchwrap Supremes at Home

When I think of Taco Bell, I think of the Crunchwrap Supreme. It is hands down my favorite. It's a griddled tortilla filled with taco beef, nacho cheese, a crunchy tostada shell, sour cream, iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, and shredded cheese—a classic taco in an easy-to-eat, genius form. The best part is that you get a little bit of everything in each bite. Since everything is tightly enclosed in a tortilla, it's the best portable food—think school or work lunch, picnics, road trips! 

Fast food is not always the best answer to “what’s for dinner?” and lucky for us, making Crunchwrap Supremes at home is easier than you think. In fact, call your family and friends into the kitchen to help. Prep the ingredients ahead of time and set them out for everyone to build their own. Then, pop them on the griddle to brown and warm through as they’re built. 

Tips for Making a Homemade Crunchwrap Supreme

Practice makes perfect when it comes to assembling a Crunchwrap Supreme. Here are some quick tips to help you along: 

• If the tortillas are a bit stiff and difficult to work with, heat them for 10 seconds in the microwave or for a minute on a warm pan. They will become more pliable and they won't break.
• In the recipe, I recommend a specific order for layering the fillings. Follow the order! It’s the only way to ensure the cheese melts, the meat warms up, and the lettuce stays crisp and cool.
• Don’t overfill your Crunchwrap Supreme—it'll be difficult to wrap and it won't stay wrapped. 
• To fold the Crunchwrap Supreme, start by folding the side of the tortilla closest to you towards the center. Use both hands to press the folded edges down so that they keep their shape. Rotate the Crunchwrap Supreme clockwise little by little as you continue folding the tortilla. There are photos in the recipe below to help you along! 

Two Easy Substitutions

• If you don’t have tostada shells, use salted tortilla chips instead.
• Looking for a meatless option? Use your favorite plant-based meat substitute or your favorite beans instead of the ground beef.

Plan Ahead 

I would not recommend assembling the Crunchwrap Supremes ahead of time because the tostadas will get soggy. Store all the ingredients separately in the fridge. When you’re ready to serve, assemble and griddling them fresh to order.

If you do choose to assemble them ahead of time—pack them for school lunch and you'll be called a cafeteria hero—wrap them tightly in plastic wrap or foil. If you're home and would like to reheat them, pop them on a griddle on low heat directly from the fridge until just warmed through. 

More Delicious Lunch Recipes

• Classic Tuna Melt
• Classic Patty Melt
• Grilled Cheese BLT
• Turkey Sloppy Joes
• Cuban Sandwich (Cubano)

Cook the beef:

Set a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. When the skillet is hot, add the ground beef and use a spatula to break it up as it browns. You don’t need to add any oil. Once it is cooked through and no longer pink, scoot all the meat to one side. Hold onto the handle to tilt the skillet and use a large spoon to scoop out and discard as much fat as you’d like. Then, add the taco seasoning and water and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Turn the burner off and set the skillet aside.

Quarter a tortilla: 

Cut 1 tortilla into 4 equal pieces by halving it into halfmoons and then halving each half. Set them aside.

Assemble the Crunchwrap Supreme:

You will build one Crunchwrap Supreme at a time.

Lay 1 whole tortilla on a cutting board or clean work surface. Spoon about a quarter of the nacho cheese into the center of the tortilla. Spread it out to approximately the size of your tostada. Spread about a quarter of the seasoned beef on top of the nacho cheese and top it with the tostada. If you’re using tortilla chips, layer about a quarter of them on top of the beef. 

Then sprinkle on a quarter each of the sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese. Finally, place one of the cut tortilla on top.

Wrap the Crunchwrap Supreme:

Fold the bottom tortilla—start with the part closest to you—up towards the center of the layered filling. Using both hands, spin the Crunchwrap Supreme clockwise and do another fold. Repeat until the bottom tortilla is fully folded up and covering the top tortilla—I get about 6 folds. The filling is now fully covered by the folded tortilla.

Use both hands to carefully flip the Crunchwrap Supreme so the folded seams face down.

Griddle the Crunchwrap Supreme:

Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add a teaspoon of vegetable oil and the Crunchwrap Supreme, seam side-down. Use a spatula to gently press it down to help seal the seams. Cook for about 2 minutes until golden brown. Carefully flip it and cook the other side until golden brown, about 2 minutes.

Assemble and cook the remaining 3 wraps following steps 3 to 5.

Serve:

Transfer the Crunchwrap Supremes onto a cutting board and cut in half. Serve warm with hot sauce on the side, if desired. 

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